Why I Will Never Be A Vegan, LOTR and a Kale Salad
Before everyone gets all up in arms, I just want to make this VERY clear, first:
I fully support whatever your food consumption lifestyle is, K? Full stop.
But, there are reasons why it would never work for me 100% of the time, and because I love you and felt as though I owed you an explanation, here they are.
I love food. All kinds. My favorite part of culinary exploration is sampling different cuisines from all parts of the world. I believe it makes our world a little bigger, and honestly, I think we all need that right now. The fact of the matter is, partaking in other cultures will often involve animal protein; albeit, mainly minimal amounts unless you are counting Texas as a cultural anomaly in which case, I don’t entirely disagree (though I do happen to know several Texan vegetarians). I digress.
Next, I’m a big proponent of being a neighbor. And being a neighbor, I think, means sharing a table as often as we can. This means I would never want to turn down someone’s hospitality in favor of a voluntary choice I made (because I have no allergies/aversions/sensitivities too considerable to prevent me from partaking).
Third, and perhaps my biggest reason, is because food accessibility isn’t talked about enough. Baseline: not everyone has access to fresh fruits and vegetables- and if they do, not everyone can afford them. Until a bunch of organic carrots costs the same as a bag of Doritos, the inequity alone prevents me from committing to a lifestyle that I know others are unable to simply because it isn’t cost-effective.
And lastly, as someone whose blood pressure and anemia fluctuate like Bermuda weather during hurricane season, the omission of animal protein in its entirety has never worked for me, from a physical standpoint. I prefer not fainting, seeing spots, or being cold in the summer, thank you very much.
However- I would also never deny the health and environmental benefits of eating in a plant-forward (see what I did there?) way. And since my palette PREFERS vegetables and fruit over meat and dairy, I thought I would give you a list of veggie-forward cookbooks I’ve been loving this season to assist you in adding more color in your menu:
There. If you think we can still be friends after that, I give you the things that have given me life this week.
We had a date night for the first time in a long while last night, and as one of the restaurants on our list to try had just returned from a week off, we thought we’d check it out. To say we were impressed with Juniper Hill would be a gross understatement. The Banh Mi burger was cooked to perfection, with a surprise tang of mango along with a tangle of pickled vegetables. I gave their Minted Daly cocktail a try and have zero regrets. But it was their dedication to local farms and businesses that sealed the deal for us- we talked about the fresh ricotta with Thai chilis from Lebanon Cheese Co. all the way home. If you’re local and you haven’t been yet, I suggest you don’t sleep on it. I don’t expect it’ll be easy to get a reservation for long.
It was been the albatross around my neck to admit that as a former English teacher, I just could NEVER get through reading the Lord of the Rings series. I KNOOOWWWW. I’ve seen the films a million times. My husband even attempted to read them aloud to me once in an effort to pique my interest, but, alas, I just couldn’t do it. But every summer I choose a series to tackle, and I’ve decided: THIS IS THE YEAR. God help me in this endeavor. Send tips.
There’s been a lot of buzz around NJ Breweries and changes in policies which means THEY NEED OUR HELP MORE THAN EVER. Go! Drink beer and be merry! It’s being a good citizen! Start with the Almost Gone Czech Pilsner at https://www.chiltonmillbrewing.com
3. In order to support my plant-forward theme, with some tasty animal proteins in moderation, this is the Kale Salad I have been eating ALL. WEEK. LONG
The Loose Recipe (Adapted from Milk Street AND Barbuto):
Ingredients:
1 bunch of Tuscan Kale
1 can of chickpeas, drained and roasted in the oven with olive oil and garlic at 400 degrees, for 25 minutes or until crispy
A handful of chopped green olives
A bunch of fresh basil, ripped
As much parmesan as your heart desires
2 TBS of Panko breadcrumbs, toasted in a pan with olive oil OR butter
Dressing:
1/2 cup of EVOO
Juice from one lemon
1 garlic clove, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix the dressing at the bottom of a large bowl.
Tear kale leaves off of stems, and massage in the bowl with the dressing.
Let sit for 10-15 minutes to absorb flavors, and tenderize.
Add in the roasted chickpeas, chopped olives, basil, toasted breadcrumbs, and grated cheese.
Top with a slice of Proscuitto, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Venture out and try something new this week. Support a local spot. Eat more veggies. Add some bacon. Eat your words and make them delicious.
